As the weather becomes cooler, we usually want some comfort food. Often the food we choose is some form of carbohydrates which are usually dense in calories. Many times, we crave sweet rolls or a delicious dessert. We can choose “better” comfort foods over sugary treats made with refined ingredients.

Personal Story

I love to make soups when the temperature drops. Some of my family’s favorites soups are: potato, split pea, chili, taco, chicken rice, and beef stew. These soups are warming and hearty. These are especially soothing after a stint of working or playing in the snow. The carbohydrates in the soup work their fortifying magic.

What Are Carbohydrates?

There are three types of carbohydrates: starches, sugars, and fiber.

• Starches are complex carbohydrates.
• Sugars are simple sugar carbohydrates.
• Fibers, called cellulose, are complex carbohydrates which are non-digestible.

What Do Carbohydrates Do for the Body?

Our body needs carbohydrates for optimal health.

• Carbohydrates boost energy and serotonin, a brain chemical that affects a person’s mood.
• Carbohydrates help detoxification pathways.

How do Carbohydrates Do Their Work?

Carbohydrates must go through a process to become usable.

• Carbohydrates break down in our mouth when we chew our food and mix it with saliva.
• The stomach and intestines continue to break it into smaller molecules and pass into the blood.
• The glucose in the blood travels past our liver and enters general circulation to supply body tissues energy.
• Fiber also regulates blood sugar levels and helps healthy bacteria form in the digestive system and gives bulk to stools.

Carbohydrates give us energy!

What foods contain carbohydrates?

Many foods have good carbohydrates.

• Complex carbohydrates are foods like: fruits, vegetables, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, legumes, greens, citrus fruits, nuts, and dairy products.
• Starchy vegetables consist of corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lima beans, and sweet peas.
• The best grain carbs include whole grains, such as rice, quinoa, and millet.
• Other bread products with carbs include: bread, cereals, pasta, rolls, buns, tortillas, crackers, and cornbread.
• Popcorn is a whole grain snack “carb” to enjoy in moderation.
• Simple sugars are found in milk, honey, fruit, juice, and table sugar. The refined table sugar is best avoided.
• Carbohydrate fibers include gum, bran, or cellulose.

 How many carbohydrates do we need?

Grains or starches can cover one-fourth of a person’s balanced plate. Depending on activity needs, a person can consume one to four or more daily servings of grains, starches, or carbohydrates. Women need 25 grams and men need 38 grams of fiber per day.

The newer terminology for simple carbohydrates is high glycemic (HG) and for complex carbohydrates is low glycemic (LG). Low GI foods include: all vegetables except potatoes (limited sweet potatoes are okay), temperate-climate fruits like apples or pears, beans and lentils, basmati rice, and unsweetened muesli. High GI foods include highly processed breads, pancakes, muffins, and the like.

For better health, try choosing complex carbohydrates over simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates are wonderful to enjoy on a cold day.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. Please encourage others by writing about your favorite healthy carbs in the comment section above.